The file.io alternative with links that survive downloading
file.io's own plans page gives its free tier "Files auto-deleted after 1 download". Share a file here and keep a link that stays live, with a QR code, click analytics and an optional password.
Any supported file works. Documents: PDF · DOCX · XLSX · PPTX · EPUB · TXT · MD · ODT · ODS · ODP · ODG · OTT · OTS · OTP · OTG · ODM · ODC · ODF · ODB
Why people look for a file.io alternative
Deleted after one download
file.io's plans page lists "Files auto-deleted after 1 download" on its free tier. file.io's own API example on its home page shows the second request for the same link returning a 404, so if two people open it, the second one gets nothing. Its paid plans lift that limit: the same plans page lists unlimited downloads and auto-delete as optional.
No password or QR codes listed
file.io's plans and developer pages list no password protection and no QR codes. Its API reports a running download count per file, which is a number, not the click history that tells you when a link was opened. Check file.io's own documentation for what its current plans include.
Lifting the limit means paying
Getting past file.io's one-download default means a paid plan; see file.io's pricing page for its current tiers. Here, password protection and permanent links unlock from the Pro plan. See our pricing page for the current figures.
uploadthefile.com vs file.io
When file.io is the better choice
You specifically want a one-time, self-destructing link where the file is meant to vanish after a single download. That ephemerality is file.io's whole point.
You need to move a single very large file and don't need QR codes, passwords or analytics. file.io's paid tiers advertise far bigger per-file sizes than we do; see their plans page for the current limits.
file.io alternative FAQ
Is uploadthefile.com free?
Yes. You can share a file for free with no account (that link lives 48 hours), and a free account extends it to 30 days. Either way the file is not deleted after the first download, and a QR code is free. Password protection, permanent links and larger files are on the paid plans. See the pricing page.
Will my file be deleted after one download?
No. Unlike file.io's free tier, your file stays available for everyone with the link until it expires or you delete it. Anonymous links last 48 hours, a free account gives you 30 days, and paid links are permanent.
Can I still make a link disappear on purpose?
Yes. You can delete any link whenever you want and set an expiry date, so you keep the control file.io gives you without losing the file to an accidental first download.
Do I need an account?
No account is needed for a basic upload, just like file.io. You sign in only to manage links, add passwords or view analytics.
Can I password-protect the link?
Yes, from the Pro plan. file.io's own plans page lists no password protection. A basic shared link stays open, and you add a password when you need one.
Hosting it rather than sending it once? Free file hosting with no sign-up.